Smart Luxury

3 days ago | smartluxury.com | Judy Koutsky

CruisesJourneysHotelsOffersNewsletter Until 2019, Saudi Arabia was a place shrouded in mystery. That's because it was pretty much closed to tourists except those traveling on religious pilgrimages to the holy cities of Mecca and Medina. Then, in 2019, the Kingdom made a landmark decision to allow tourist visas for travelers coming from an approved list of 49 countries (now up to 66).

1 week ago | smartluxury.com | Donna Heiderstadt |Julia Eskins

CruisesJourneysHotelsOffersNewsletter The surging popularity of river cruising over the past decade has raised the profile of this once-niche mode of travel, and now almost a dozen luxury river cruise lines operate superbly appointed ships. Still, like their luxury ocean cruise counterparts, each has a unique personality. Some focus on cultural enrichment while others prioritize local culinary immersion. Décor, ambiance, and excursion options are other differentiating factors.

1 week ago | smartluxury.com | Andrew Eames |Donna Heiderstadt |Julia Eskins

CruisesJourneysHotelsOffersNewsletter They call the Dordogne the land of 1,001 castles, many of which date back to the Hundred Years War, when Britain and France were at loggerheads. These days, international relations are far more amicable, and many of the Dordogne's most head-turning properties are lovingly curated by outsiders who have fallen under its spell.

1 week ago | smartluxury.com | Julia Eskins

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2 weeks ago | smartluxury.com | Emily Monaco

CruisesJourneysHotelsOffersNewsletter Nicknamed "the king of chefs and the chef of kings," Antonin Carême was a trailblazer in more ways than one — as the forthcoming eponymous Apple TV+ series is sure to show. Born just six years before the French Revolution, in 1783, Carême loomed large in his 49 years, inventing the chef's toque (hat), the pastry bag, and the very idea of serving a meal in courses. And that's just the beginning.